'As Time Goes By' - 'mandotenor' demo

Subject: 'As Time Goes By' - 'mandotenor' demo
From: Will Fly
Date: 12 Feb 12 - 09:38 AM

I've been playing around with a new instrument which I commissioned from my old luthier mate Ian Chisholm. It's a solid-body instrument carved from joined sections of mahogany, maple and ash, with a single-coil pickup and 5 strings tuned CGDAE. The bottom 4 strings give tenor guitar/viola tuning, and the top 4 strings give mandolin/violin tuning - so I get the best of both worlds. I call it a "mandotenor".

I've chosen a tune like "As Time Goes By" to demonstrate the singing qualities of the instrument, which can be used for all sorts of genres of music including jazz, 1930s standards and traditional tunes... I've plugged it into my 100w Gallien-Krueger, set the high and medium-high EQ to low, the medium-low and low EQ to high, and cranked it up a bit!

As Time Goes By

Subject: RE: 'As Time Goes By' - 'mandotenor' demo
From: GUEST,olddude
Date: 12 Feb 12 - 09:41 AM

very nice ... thank you
I love that song and you done good

Subject: RE: 'As Time Goes By' - 'mandotenor' demo
From: Will Fly
Date: 12 Feb 12 - 10:36 AM

Thank you, Dan - very kind.

There's now a better quality HD version on Vimeo here.

Subject: RE: 'As Time Goes By' - 'mandotenor' demo
From: katlaughing
Date: 12 Feb 12 - 11:13 AM

That is plumb bee-you-tee-full, Will. What a sweet sounding instrument. You and the luthier did (it) good, better BEST!

And, it's always worth watching for that smile at the end! Straight to the heart!:-)

kat

Subject: RE: 'As Time Goes By' - 'mandotenor' demo
From: Will Fly
Date: 12 Feb 12 - 01:00 PM

Thanks Kat - kind windwords from Wyoming... :-)

Subject: RE: 'As Time Goes By' - 'mandotenor' demo
From: michaelr
Date: 12 Feb 12 - 01:22 PM

Very nice, Will. I'd like to hear you play the theme from The Third Man on the mandotenor!

Subject: RE: 'As Time Goes By' - 'mandotenor' demo
From: Don Firth
Date: 12 Feb 12 - 01:34 PM

Nice! Smooth! Well, done, sir!

Is that a Zoom H2 I see in the lower right corner? Is that what you used to record the audio, or did it just happen to be siting there?

Don Firth

Subject: RE: 'As Time Goes By' - 'mandotenor' demo
From: Will Fly
Date: 12 Feb 12 - 02:29 PM

Yes Don - H2 it is. I use it as a microphone for my Roland 8-track. I recorded the acoustic backing track (track 1) with it quite close on to the Martin - and then placed the amp about 6 feet from it on the floor for track 2. There's just a hint of possible distortion - wanted it right on the edge...

Subject: RE: 'As Time Goes By' - 'mandotenor' demo
From: katlaughing
Date: 12 Feb 12 - 02:31 PM

Sheesh, you techies notice all the gadgets, while I was wondering what tartan that was I saw on the sofa behind him!**bg**

Subject: RE: 'As Time Goes By' - 'mandotenor' demo
From: Will Fly
Date: 12 Feb 12 - 02:36 PM

The tartan? Ah yes - my son's shirt - he's with us for a day or two...

Subject: RE: 'As Time Goes By' - 'mandotenor' demo
From: Don Firth
Date: 12 Feb 12 - 02:44 PM

I have an H2, which was why I was curious. I've used it a lot for self-criticism of practice sessions, but I know it's pretty versatile and I'm trying to find out how else I can use it. I figure that I've been knocking around long enough so I should think about getting my ugly mug on YouTube and croaking out a song or two, and I have yet to learn how to go about it.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: 'As Time Goes By' - 'mandotenor' demo
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 12 Feb 12 - 05:13 PM

Interesting! It sounds as if two people are playing different instruments.

Subject: RE: 'As Time Goes By' - 'mandotenor' demo
From: Will Fly
Date: 12 Feb 12 - 06:26 PM

Good, leeneia - that's just how it should sound! I'm Mr. A playing acoustic Martin guitar on track 1 - and I'm also Mr. B playing electric mandotenor on track 2. I had to persuade myself not to be Mr. C playing acoustic bass and Mr. D playing drums.

As you can see, I like playing with myself...

Don - the H2 has a "line out" facility which effectively converts it into a condenser mic. I use it on its own for solo work - and as a mic in conjunction with an 8-track Roland VS840 digital recorder. It's very effective as a recorder for simultaneous voice and solo guitar - all depends on placement of the beast in relation to you. I actually have 2 of the little buggers - and mix them down on my Mac as required if need be. If you want explicit info on how to use one to do YouTube or Soundcloud stuff, PM me and I'll gladly give you the lowdown.